Loom.



No. 687,461. Patented Nov. 26, 19m. c. P. NICHOLS.

LOOM.

(Application filed June 14, 1901.;

(No Model.)

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, ITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CHARLES P. NICHOLS, OF CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND.

LOOM.

SIECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,461, dated November 26, 1901.

Application filed June 14, 1901. Serial No- 64=,501. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. NIoHoLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oranston, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Looms, of which the following is ,a specification.

This invention has reference to an improvement in the picker-motion for looms; and it consists in the peculiar and novel construe tion and combination of the heel-spring, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

In woolen and similar looms the heel of the picker-stick is usually connected with the floor-spring at one end by means of a leather strap secured to the picker-stick by screws, and the floor-spring is. usually provided at the other end with another strap secured to the floor by screws, the springs used being coiled tension-springs. In this prior construction the adjustment of the spring tension on the heel of the picker-stick was made by removing the screws and moving the strap connected with the floor or with the pickerstick and resecuring the strap or straps by screws. The screw-holes weaken the pickerstick and make any accurate adjustment difficult. In cotton-looms the picker-stick is usually secured to a rocker, and a tensionspring is connected at one end to the rocker and at the other end to a fixed part, usually the floor.

Practice has demonstrated that a spiral tension-spring resisting force by the elongation of the spring is not as durable and reliable as a push-spring, which resists force by the compression of the spiral spring.

The object of this invention is to provide for the convenient adjustment of the force exerted on the picker-stick.

Figure 1 is a front view of part of a loom, illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of my improved picker-stick spring. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same.

I have illustrated my invention in the drawings in connection with a supporting-frame adapted to be secured to the floor in the usual manner and have indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3 the manner in which the device may be supported on the end frames.

In the drawings, A A indicate the end frames of the loom; A, the breast-beam; B B,

the swords of the lay; B B, the shuttleboxes on the lay; O C, the picker-sticks; O O, the brackets forming the pivotal support for the picker-sticks; D, a rod provided with the eye (1, through which the heel O of the picker-stick extends; d, an abutment having a circular opening in which the tube d slides; d a collar on the other end of the tube (Z and d a clamp-screw by which the tubecl is adjustably secured to the rod D. The spiral push-spring E surrounds the tube d and bears at one end against the abutment d and at the other end against the collar (1 The tension of the spring E may be adjusted by loosening the clamp-screw d moving the tube 01 longitudinally on the rod D, and securing the same in the adjusted position to the rod D by the clamp-screw d.

In the preferred construction I secure the abutment d to the base-plate f, which is secured to the floor, as shown in Fig. 1, by the bolt f extending through a slotted hole in the abutment to permit of the vertical adjustment of the abutment cl. The guide-bracket f in which the rod D has a loose sliding fit, I secure to the other end of the base-plate f by means of the bolt f extending through a slotted hole in the guide-bracket to permit of vertical adjustment.

When desired, the abutment d may be provided with a bracket which may be secured to a convenient part of the end frame, as is indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3.

As the tube (1 may rock in its bearing in the abutment d and slide longitudinally in the said bearing, while the rod D may move laterally in the tube d the device will freely yield to the rocking movement of the heel of the picker-stick of the kind illustrated in the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a loom, the combination with the heel of the picker-stick, a rod connected with the heel and a fixed abutment, of a tube, of greater internal diameter thanthe diameter of the rod, having a sliding bearing on the fixed abutment on one end, a collar on the other end of the tube, a coiled spring sur rounding the tube and bearing on the fixed abutment and the collar, and means for securing the rod connected with the pickerstick to the farther end of the tube, whereby the rod is free to move within the tube with the picker-stick, as described.

2. In a 100m, the combinationvwith a fixed abutment, a tube having a sliding bearing in the fixed abutment, a collar on the tube and a coiled'spring surrounding the tube and bearing on the fixed abutment at one end and the collar on the tube at the other end, of a rod having an eye through which the pickerstick extends, said rod being free to move radially in the tube, and means for connecting the rod adjustably with the tube, as described.

3, In a loom, the combination with the picker-stick, the rod D, the eye (1 on the rod through which the picker-stick extends, the abutment d and the guide-bracket f of the tube d of sufficient internal diameter to permit the rod D to follow the movement of the picker-stick, the sliding bearing of the tube in the abutment, the collar (i the clamp-screw d for securing the rod D to the tube, and the coiled spring E interposed between the collar and the abutment, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES P. NICHOLS.

\V itnesses:

ADA E. HAGERTY, J os. A. MILLER. 

